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The event consists of writing, examination and hands-on activities. Top qualifiers in the writing competition will complete a short security examination and find, record and fix security problems in a computer system. In the team competition, four-member Air Force Junior ROTC cadet teams will locate and correct the vulnerabilities in a multi-system network.

Scholarships of $500 will be awarded for the best paper, top individual and each winning team member. Second- and third-place winners in the individual competition will receive $250 and $100 scholarships.

Event sponsors include the Air Force Association (AFA), the Alamo AFA, Aerospace Education Foundation, the Alamo chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the San Antonio chapter of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA).

In April 2006, CIAS will host the first National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. The competition will feature the winning teams from the 2006 Collegiate Cyber Defense Regional Competitions including Midwest, Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions.

UTSA is the first Texas university and one of 66 in the nation with the "Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education" designation by the National Security Agency (NSA). The designation means UTSA's curriculum and faculty meet or exceed NSA standards to teach information-assurance security and makes the university eligible to apply for grants from NSA and the National Science Foundation.

CIAS is part of the UTSA Institute for the Protection of American Communities (IPAC), which provides technical expertise and solutions to security challenges faced by communities.